Cord leaders have rejected President Uhuru Kenyatta’s proposal on the IEBC stalemate today.Raila Odinga and Moses Wetang’ula leading, the opposition leaders set new conditions for talks with Jubilee.
11 representatives including Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria were appointed by the President together with Jubilee MPs and Senator to the negotiating team.
“No deal until there is a deal. We shall be able to communicate to the country a final decision on this matter within the next 24 hours,” Raila said in a press conference at his Capitol hill office.He also suggested that each coalition nominates only two members for the talks.
“We welcomed the move as a start in the search for the way forward on the matter of IEBC,” he said.He announced that they have information that Jubilee will be led by Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi, a claim that sources at State House refuted after Raila’s address.
Raila said Cord has made consultations with Jubilee and other stakeholders to iron out outstanding issues considered critical to creating a credible electoral body.
“We do not intend to delve into these outstanding issues now,” he said.
“We will deliberate on the outstanding issues and report back within the next 24 hours,” Raila added.The opposition leader said they will list the key issues that the team representing Cord will table in the talks.
The Cord leader had earlier announced a team of five to represent Cord at talks on electoral reforms.Discussions on the IEBC stalemate with religious leaders and diplomats including US ambassador Robert Godec had been halted on Thursday.
This was after the Opposition rejected the 11-member team selected by President Uhuru Kenyatta citing discomfort with the group.From this development, the IEBC issue now rests on how both parties, Jubilee and Cord, consent on the structure of the dialogue.
The opposition will also likely carry on with its weekly Monday protests for the forceful removal of electoral commissioners.The President has insisted that the talks be held within the confines of parliament, on grounds that he had sworn to protect the constitution.